


beloved

by seaofolives



Series: As Time Goes By and Other Stories [3]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Everybody Lives, Flashbacks, Gladnis Fanwork Bingo (Final Fantasy XV), Ignis Scientia is Not Blind, M/M, Older Gladiolus Amicitia, Older Gladiolus Amicitia/Ignis Scientia, Older Ignis Scientia, POV Gladiolus Amicitia, Post-Canon, Post-Episode Ignis, Post-Episode Ignis Verse 2, Post-Game(s), Wedding Fluff, Weddings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-24
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:41:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26633017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seaofolives/pseuds/seaofolives
Summary: The four of them had always known that Gladio and Ignis would somehow end up together.
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia/Ignis Scientia
Series: As Time Goes By and Other Stories [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1915984
Comments: 4
Kudos: 15





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> for the gladnis fanworks bingo! rating and tags may change in the next chapters
> 
> chapter 1 prompts: bed sharing, marriage, free space, in the regalia, day off  
> month: march

“Right,” Gladio grunted as soon as his shoulders hit the leather seat of the Regalia, his feet hanging through the open door of the backseat. He patted his chest. “Get in here— _oof!_ ” 

Ignis hadnʼt given him the time to prepare to receive him, and only landed on him so they could meet in another kiss. Not that Gladio would have minded but some warning was definitely not unwanted. “So,” he laid himself on one shoulder, “how do you want to do this?” 

“Put your hand up like this.” Under the pink skirt of the tree, Gladio raised his left hand as if he was trying to catch a handful of cherry blossoms, so that the ring faced them. 

“The light wonʼt catch the gem, though.” Despite Ignisʼ note, he did as he was told, let the man move it so that it was closer to the center of them, tilted a little right. Then Gladio laid his hand over the back of his own hand and wrist, pointing a little towards the left this time. Ignis chuckled at the artistry. “Clever. Just like wings.” 

“Like our engagement ring, yeah?” Gladio smiled at his fiancé lying closely to him. “You wanna know why?” 

Ignis sighed, expecting the worst. “Must I?” 

“‘cause youʼre the wind beneath my wings.” That little smile spread out into a triumphant grin, celebrating the cheesiness of his line as his chest bounced with amusement. It seemed like an ideal day to be cracking such jokes—peak of spring, an easy breeze coming from the east, their fingers finally adorned with the perfect symbol of the two of them. 

Ignis shook his head with a painful hiss. “Terrible. You better change before we get married for real.” 

“Or else?” 

Ignis clicked his tongue. “Just take the damn picture, my hand is getting tired.” 

“Right, I got it.” He laughed, feeling light. From Gladioʼs back pocket, he pulled out his phone and booted up the camera. “I actually practiced this pose with my sister. Took a few shots but—ooooh.” 

“That looks perfect,” Ignis agreed, smiling as if for the camera. On Gladioʼs screen, the lenses had adjusted themselves so that their hands looked bright and stark amidst a vivid splash of pink. Even Gladioʼs timing was perfect, having taken several shots just as the wind blew and some of the petals had fallen. His chest swelled—this must be what they called a sign from the gods. 

Ignis snatched the phone just as soon as Gladio had dropped his left hand, snuggling closer to his fiancé to swipe through the pictures of their wing-shaped hands. In love and on a high, pulse racing, Gladio pressed his lips to the short-cropped sides of his hair. “Iʼll take this all. I must take my time choosing a favorite.” Even though they all looked the same. 

“Move over, Prompto,” Gladio chuckled, watching until Ignis flipped through a different version of their pose, this time of Gladioʼs hand with a smaller womanʼs, pressed down onto a red twill fabric. “Thatʼs my rehearsal pictures with Iris.” 

“You really thought this through.” By the sound of Ignisʼ voice, he approved of Gladioʼs foresight. “Come. Letʼs take another photo. I will direct it this time.” He handed off the phone back to its owner. 

“Well, someoneʼs inspired.” Something that made Gladio beam. With skies as blue as sylleblossoms, though, and full hearts, their future set, who wouldnʼt be? Even he felt like he was the bravest, strongest man after he proposed to Ignis. Nothing could and would get in his way, he thought. “What do I do?” 

“Just hold my hand.” As for Ignis, he laid his just so on Gladioʼs chest, both of them watching their progress through the screen. A classic engagement pose which Gladio wouldnʼt be surprised to know if Ignis had been dreaming about it since they reclaimed the light. The gems, at least, sparkled brighter this way, and the image that held it—a pair of silver wings shaped from hands—was more visible. 

His timing was a little less lucky, though—petals had landed unromantically on their faces and hair. And then one fell on his eye and two on Gladioʼs lips somewhere towards the third try which caused him to sputter and blow the errant thing off in raspberries. Ignis laughed at that. So much for inspiration. 

Just another one for the book of stories to tell their grandkids. “Dʼyou wanna do that again?” Gladio offered despite it, though Ignis was too satisfied and amused by his current state in life to accept. So he just laughed with him, smiled along with him. 

Before long, he would catch himself too enamored by his fiancé to do much else again. Except to gaze at his sparkling green eyes, the nicks on his brow, his nose, his lips, a testament to all that he survived just to be with him that fine day. How could he resist marrying him? That strength, that resolve that heʼd always carried with him no matter what tried them… 

They parted their lips and drew close for another kiss, just barely touching when Gladioʼs phone gave out a cheerful tune. Ignis snatched it from his hand right then and there and pushed himself off his fiancéʼs chest. “Your Majesty,” he answered the caller swiftly before Gladio could even take the device back. “Yes, I am with Gladio presently…Gladioʼs phone?” He looked at what he held, seemingly in surprise. Gladio started to laugh to himself, pulling up his arms to cross them behind his head. “Well, in any case, shall I pass you to Gladio?” he asked their king, putting the phone back on his ear. “I see, you were just checking on him…” His brows quivered and he frowned. “W, well, then…” And then he raised his brow. 

Returned Gladioʼs phone to him finally. “I guess someone forgot we were on our day off,” Gladio chuckled deeply, checking his screen for anything else he might have missed. “I meant you, by the way, Ignis.” 

“You cannot fault me for being good at my job,” Ignis chided him softly. “I wonder, though, if you know something about a kind of…celebration they are preparing for in the Citadel?” 

“Hm?” Gladio turned wide eyes at him. 

Ignis shrugged. “I was just wondering in case you knew anything I didnʼt. I heard Prompto announcing that the cake had arrived, and then Noct hung up all of a sudden.” 

“Well, thatʼs not subtle.” Which was the most Gladio could say without giving away…more of the surprise engagement party that their friends wanted to throw for them. He only found out because Prompto was asking him to drive them back to the Citadel at a very specific hour, going through a very specific way. For no real reason. 

To be fair, though, nothing about this whole affair had been entirely a secret. The four of them had always known that he and Ignis would somehow end up together. And even when he borrowed and drove the Regalia to the park, he could tell by the color on Ignisʼ cheeks that he had predicted what would happen—even before they passed the gate. And now the party was spoiled. 

“No council duties for His Majesty, I guess,” Gladio mused on out loud. In any case, better to distract Ignis before he uncovered the whole surprise on his own. Sometimes, he was just too smart and vigilant. 

“One wonders.” Ignis laid himself back onto Gladioʼs chest, turning his shoulders and pulling him in as if he was a pillow. “Must we head back soon, then?” They probably had to. 

But heʼd already closed his eyes, and it _was_ their day off. Their special day, the first day of their engagement. Gladio laid his hand over the back of his fiancéʼs head, raking lazily at the hair along his nape, where he wouldnʼt ruin his pompadour. “Do you wanna stay a little longer?” 

Ignis nodded, snuggling closer. That was that, then. 

“Okay,” he laughed quietly, wrapping an arm along the back of his waist. It would probably be some time, after all, before they could be allowed to escape the Citadel like this again—two men in love, wasting the day at the back of the kingʼs car, letting cherry blossoms flutter down on them like snow. Their promises bared on both their fingers.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter 2 prompts: episode gladio, world of ruin, marriage, healing, post-timeskip  
> month: june

After years steeped in darkness, even the Tempering Grounds had to change from how Gladio had remembered it. The fog and the air were thicker, and the arching walls looked like they were ready to devour him with stalactite fangs. Pressing closer, looming heavily. 

“ _Have you come seeking death once more, young Shield?_ ” 

He summoned his glaive and braced it upon his shoulder as he normally would, tensing his knees, ready to go. The apparition came out through the fog, finally, himself the only one unchanged by the times. “I am!” A declaration of war that rippled across the cavern. “Iʼve come to claim your death, Blademaster Gilgamesh!” 

“ _One would think, after passing the tests, you would have learned enough to gird your anger._ ” The divine swordsman reached into the air overhead and drew a long sword from its wisp. “ _The world is, at last, coming to an end. Where, now, is that mettle you brandished so foolishly?_ ” 

“Right here,” Gladio snarled, marching for him, tightening his hand around his sword grip. “Right where you can taste it!” With an echoing roar, he swung his steel to the Blademaster.

—

He wasnʼt normally one to wake up from an alarm, but months of living together with his fiancé had inevitably taught him the benefits of it.

So he groaned, and stirred awake. Gladio let out a great yawn and rolled to his back so he could stretch out his arms and his toes before he slapped his hand onto the clock at his side. On cue, the warm blanket receded from his front like magic. 

Gathering instead around the man beside him, his naked back still turned to him as he whistled a grateful sigh. 

Gladio beamed brightly at his cat-like partner, slipping his arm through the blanket to press it onto his flat stomach, trapping him to his bare chest. The result was a sleepy, happy moan and a droopy smile on his face. “Hey,” he whispered to his ear, “todayʼs the big day, Mr. Amicitia.” 

That smile peeled back to reveal some teeth, though his green eyes remained shut. Stubborn. “Better get ready then, Mr. Scientia,” Ignis retorted quietly. 

Gladio chuckled deeply in his chest before he pressed a kiss on his cheek, and then his shoulder. Finally, Ignis moved enough to put his back to the bed so he could take Gladioʼs head with both his hands and nudge it downwards to his lips. They must have spent a whole minute or two just sealing and renewing kisses. 

“No work?” Gladio asked him when they parted, elbows flanking Ignisʼ sides. 

“The king canceled my meeting, the one meeting I have.” Ignis furrowed his brows. “He didnʼt cancel yours?” 

“Guess he doesnʼt wanna miss me,” Gladio chuckled, getting up finally. “Iʼll see you at the ceremony, then?” With thanks to his long legs, he could swing them over Ignisʼ form easily. 

Ignis nodded, twisting himself to follow after his fiancé on the bed. “Take this one with you.” 

Gladio turned around to see Ignis surrendering his ring to him. He reached for it so Ignis could slide it onto his little finger. 

“Oh and Gladio, one more thing.” 

“Hm?” Stopped again on his way to the bathroom. 

Ignis smiled sweetly as he snuggled deeply into his pillow. “One look? Just before you get dressed.” 

Gladio smirked deviously at his fiancé, “Oh? You mean this?” then raised his left arm over his head and then his right knee slightly while he touched himself between his legs. Ignis giggled and nodded. “Youʼll get more of that later,” he promised him with a wink. He started again towards the bathroom. 

“Looking forward to it,” Ignis announced. “Your fruit shake is in the fridge.” 

“Thanks, Ignis.” Gladio raised him a thumb over his shoulder.

—

Between the rebirth of traffic and being stopped every step he took to be congratulated, progress was slow-going on his way to the council meeting room. Once inside, he accused the sole occupant of setting up the delay just so he could legally depart after 15 minutes.

“Can I, though?” the king groaned, rubbing his hands on his freshly-shaven face. Clearly sneaking a few more minutes of sleep in while his Shield was navigating through his well-wishes. “Thatʼd be nice.” 

“Hey,” Gladio poked him hard on his bicep and tapped the documents on his tabletop loudly. “We still got work to do and we ainʼt got all day. Just ‘cause your king doesnʼt mean Iʼm gonna go easy on you, Majesty.”

“Right, right,” Noctis sighed, hands landing heavily on the paperwork arranged in front of him. “So, we donʼt have time, and we canʼt possibly finish this all in an hour. As head of public security, whatʼs arguably the most pressing matter for you?” He brought his hands up, one folding over his fist. Looking every bit like his father before him. 

Gladio cleared his throat, then reached for a document between his liegeʼs elbows. 

They spent the whole hour discussing, then. Managing to fit in 3 out of 7 points of concern (and a brief spat about taking notes in their phones versus a Citadel-issued notebook) (“Do it like Prompto does it.” “Noct, that guy is obsessed with technology about as much as you are obsessed with sleep.” “Gladio, the reason why we canʼt cut down on paper expenses is because of you.”) until Noctis adjourned 5 minutes before the end of the hour. 

“Unless you can fit in another topic within 5 minutes?” Noctis was groaning again, pulling up his arms to stretch in his handsome suit. At any other council meeting, he would never have done that. 

Gladio hummed, sorting through the files. “New uniforms for the Crownsguard?” 

Noctis snorted, casting his Shield an ugly look. “You know, if it were up to me, Iʼd say I donʼt care, whatever makes you guys happy. But knowing Taxes, theyʼre gonna drag this on for a month, at least.” So definitely not 5 minutes. 

“Thought you were king?” Gladio started laughing. 

Noctis spread his hands out to the paper stuff. “Thatʼs what I thought! But then I realized I didnʼt wanna do the work all by myself.” He scratched his temple, pinching his face. “Also you guys taught me to be democratic so this is kind of your fault.” 

“You’re welcome,” Gladio said, shoulders bouncing with his chuckles. “Well, if thatʼs all,” he got up his seat, “Iʼm gonna take my…” He inspected his phone. “Three minutes back, and get ready for the ceremony. You?” He started gathering his files. 

“I dunno,” Noctis sighed, slumping onto his tall seat. Every bit the king of Lucis, right there. “Thereʼs this wedding Iʼm supposed to be going to.” 

“Hey, hey, donʼt you fucking—” Gladio aimed his finger at the sniggering look on his kingʼs face. “Donʼt _you_ fucking bow out, king, youʼre officiating our wedding!” 

“Look, Ignis is my Hand and head of this council, he can do it himself.” 

“Iʼm going to fucking skewer you to your throne if you bail on us, Noct. Iʼm warning you!” Gladio started out the meeting room. 

“Treason!” Noctis shouted, then laughed. “Your punishment is to take a shower!” 

“Fuck your majesty!” Gladio brayed back, just before he got to the door. Noctisʼ rising cackle filled the room. 

That was probably the only thing that stopped him from getting arrested the moment he stepped out into the corridor, he thought. Two members of the Crownsguard and an attendant had stopped in confusion, casting round eyes at him. Gladio coughed in embarrassment and tipped his head to excuse himself. 

“Oh, Sir,” someone from the Crownsguard had stopped him. 

“Oh yeah?” Gladio whirled, assuming innocence. 

Both of them were smiling when they bowed to him. “Congratulations, Sir,” he said. The attendant followed shyly. 

“Thanks.” Gladio smirked chummily, nodding back at them. Then with a wave, he took his leave again, heels thumping out echoes in the long corridor. With most meetings canceled for the day to give way to the momentous occasion, the place looked about as empty as a weekend morning. A strange phenomenon on that side of the Citadel. If he kept going this way, he thought he shouldnʼt be surprised if he met Gilgamesh at the end of it. 

Sword out and high, waiting…always waiting. For the next strike, his next mistake. 

Every one of them, punished with a critical blow that sent him down to his face, laying him flat on the bridge. All those years spent fighting daemons, one after the next, he thought they would have made him more equal to the divine swordsmanʼs might. 

Watching him approach, barely able to push himself off his chest, he couldnʼt remember how his younger self could have conquered this. In those days of light, he wanted only the power to deliver his king to the throne. 

Now… “ _A foolish man who sells himself the idea of a glorious death—that man is no Shield,_ ” Gilgamesh said, kicking him to his back. “ _You will find no such glory in these caverns, fool. If death is what you seek,_ ” he raised his blade, “ _then that is all you will get._ ” With a blinding light, he swung it down.

—

“Hey,” he said to the room, knocking as he came in. The apartment looked busy, with clothes and stuff on the bed, the same with the writing desk that faced the wall. “Hope Iʼm not too late…Iris!”

She jumped from the bed and presented herself with arms and legs stretched out to make her resemble a star. “Ta-da!!” The rest of her became a twinkling giggle when he charged into the room, calling her name again, until he was close enough for her to throw herself to his arms. As for his attendant for the hour, she stood by the corner, beaming brightly, camera trained to them.

“Youʼre here, Iʼm so glad youʼre here!!” Gladio growled as he spun her around, set her back on her feet and rubbed her arm. “When did you leave Succarpe?!” 

“Last night.” Iris beamed proudly, both their hands squeezing each other eagerly. “I managed to bump myself up. Cʼmon, as if I could miss my brotherʼs wedding! Even if my symposium hadnʼt been cut short, I wouldʼve totally raced here straight from the Quay. Iʼm your best woman, remember?” 

“Yeah, but did you get to sleep at all?” Gladio pointed to the full bed. “I told you I didnʼt mind if you just came during dinner. Thereʼs the bed. Get some shut-eye before the ceremony.” He nudged her towards it. 

“In my dress?” she pointed out with a laugh. “Donʼt worry! I slept in the ferry, and then I stopped by my apartment, too.” Iris spread her arms to show off her dress, the color a mixture of deep purple and wine red, the layers over her skirt shimmering with every movement. As for her hair, she had them braided at the sides, the top pushed upwards for some volume. “See? Iʼm good, I can sleep after the party!” 

“Iris,” Gladio sighed. 

“In the meantime, _you_ have to get ready! Your groomʼs already beaten you to the game.” Iris reached up and started to work on his cape. 

“Look, that guy didnʼt come in his council uniform—” He started to pull off his gloves. 

“He did.” Iris freed the last button. “He said he needed to send an email.” Because of course he did. 

Gladio tossed his hands. “Whatever. That guyʼs Ignis.” Which was eventually what all arguments of this nature boiled down to. 

This was what she hurried all the way to the Citadel for—to dress her brother, to gush about the wedding and take her own pictures while his attendant combed the oil into his dark hair. 

Prompto arrived soon after, dressed in his Kingsglaive uniform, already beaming and excited as he danced past the door. He sauntered all the way to Gladioʼs side to the sound of his cheerful exclamation where he hopped and slapped their hands together. “Lookinʼ good, Mr. Scientia!” 

“Wait ‘til I get all those layers on,” Gladio laughed with him, hardly able to move while he was being fixed up on his chair. “Been to Ignis?” 

“Yeah.” Prompto snorted while he rolled his eyes and spun himself to drop to the foot of the bed where Gladio could face him. He greeted Iris, then, with a fist bump, just before he started fiddling with his camera and she fell to sit beside him. “Can you believe it? He literally sent me a meeting schedule for one hour to take pictures of him. One hour!” He raised a gloved finger. 

“I can,” Gladio cackled. “Thatʼs Ignis Amicitia for you.” 

“Whoah! Hold that smile!” The shutter clicked twice. Iris let out an, “Oooh!” as she complimented him on the shot, leaning from the side of his arm. 

“Ah! I should be making myself useful.” Iris got up again. “Coffee?” 

“Yup!” 

“Thanks, Iris,” Gladio followed after Prompto. His attendant repositioned his head before he could ruin the braids from the sides that would lead to a little knot of hair. 

“But seriously, Iʼm his best man!” Prompto was turning his camera to the other parts of the room now. He wasnʼt their official photographer but everyone would be damned if he didnʼt get a few shots in. “Youʼd think we hadnʼt been friends for more than a decade. And as if I wasnʼt with him when we found you half-dead all those years ago!” 

“Did you tell ‘im that?” 

“As if I could,” Prompto snorted, snapping away as Gladio laughed. “Heʼd just glare at me and tell me he has a million things to do.” 

Gladio raised a finger to him. “Point.” 

As soon as his hair was done, his face powdered and his lips glossed, they got him in his bow tie, his vest and then his jacket, all under the watchful gaze of Promptoʼs lenses. 

“Hey, shouldnʼt you be doing this to your groom?” Gladio pointed at Iris affixing the brooch on his breast—his namesake twisted together with a sprig of sagebrush to represent his future husband. 

“Actually,” Prompto scratched his beard, “you wouldnʼt believe this but—”

“He sent you another meeting invite.” 

Prompto nodded. “So in,” he checked his phone, “7 minutes.” Gladio and Iris cracked up at their friendʼs rigidness. “He says he still has to memorize his vows.” 

“Typical Ignis,” Gladio chuckled. Then he groaned, hanging his head back. “I canʼt believe it. Iʼm marrying the first guy who ever beat me in close combat. I think I should be nervous but Iʼm just so gods-damned excited!” 

“Yeah, this is it!” Prompto cheered with him, bouncing his fist on his biceps. Gladio grinned at him and offered his fist for another bump, holding steady while Iris pulled and dusted down his suit. “You ready for this?”

“More than ever.” Gladio shook his head. “Canʼt believe I almost missed this…that I almost let myself get killed ‘cause I was stupid.” 

“You know what I think?” Iris licked her thumb and ran it over a smudge on Gladioʼs beard. He tilted his chin up for her. “I think you were meant to be stupid back then so you could see the light.” 

“Think so?” Gladio smirked. She wasnʼt speaking without merit, though. To this day, he still considered this part his second life. 

Something that started as he laid battered and weak by the stream, choking in his regrets. He came to the Tempering Grounds seeking death, he said, but actually he didnʼt mind whose it was as long as he got one. 

That all changed, of course, when his life flashed before him by the light of Gilgameshʼs blade. And now they were branded permanently in his tearful eyes, making the image of the blademaster hazy as he stood over him, sword tip to his throat. “ _Worthless is the Shield who cannot bear the weight of his burden to its fullness,_ ” the divine swordsman said to him. “ _Only a fool would choose to risk himself for naught but his own gain._ ” His own…Gilgamesh was right. 

All that anger, all that darkness had made him forget what was important to him. The future. 

And the present. “Gladio?!” He thought he would never hear his voice again. 

He thought he could never come so close to him again but there he was, dropping to his side, taking him by his bruised shoulders. Gilgamesh was gone, and his world was filled only with those green eyes wide with alarm. “Gladio!!” Ignis cried, angry with hysteria. His voice became the only thing that existed in the cavern. “Stay with me, Gladio. Stay with me…” He turned back. “ _Prompto!!_ Prompto, I found him!!” And then he was looking at him again, shattered heart bared through his face. Gladio had come back seeking only death. 

But instead, all he got was pity and shame.

—

“You know, itʼs kinda funny,” Gladio said to the fingers he held, one of them decorated by two wing-shaped hands, carrying a gem. “Last night, I dreamt about that time I paid my old friend Gilgamesh a visit. You know, those days when I was angry and stupid. Those days…” He chuckled. He could laugh about it now that heʼd survived it. “It was more than I could do just to stay sane, one dark day after the next. All that fighting, all that losing…it gets to ya. Chips at you like an ax to a tree. Makes you wonder why youʼre still doinʼ all this, if there was even gonna be a world left for Noct to save.

“But you…” Gladio looked to those eyes of spring, misty with emotions. His sigh echoed throughout the throne room, bright with daylight especially where they stood, just under the tall dais. “Held onto me. No matter how low I was sinking, you made sure I had a line to pull me back up. I,” he laughed again, smile brighter, “Iʼm alive…‘cause of you, Ignis. You reminded me why I couldnʼt lose, even if I had to crawl my way to the damn finish line. Your love…healed me.” He smirked. “And I wonʼt ever forget that my whole life, and the next ones that come. 

“Now, itʼs my turn to take care of you.” Gladio caressed the joints of Ignisʼ fingers with his thumb, watching it. “Iʼm never…gonna take this chance for granted. Youʼll be loved for the rest of your days, Ignis. Iʼll protect you, provide for you, make you laugh, sing, dance…” He shook his head, lifting it to smile at him. “Anything…anything you want me to be, Iʼll be that guy. Iʼll make sure Iʼll be worth this ring around my finger. This, I swear, in the name of my father Clarus Amicitia, the former Shield of the King. And my king,” he nodded to the man in his royal black garb beside him, “Noctis Lucis Caelum, the 114th King of Lucis. Or so the gods help me.” 

Noctis nodded back with his own smile. Somewhere down Ignisʼ side of the room, they could hear someoneʼs camera going off. “You done, then?” he muttered. 

“Should I keep going?” Gladio cocked his brow. 

“No, we got guests to feed.” Noctis cleared his throat, avoiding his Shieldʼs eyes by watching the crowd. 

Gladio clicked his tongue at his king. “Sometimes, I could really punch your face.” 

“Gladio,” Ignis tutted after him, pulling his hands a little towards him, like a signal. “Not the time for that.” 

“Sorry,” he whispered, putting his focus back on his groom. 

Ignis smiled for the attention. He cleared his own throat, flicked his tongue over his lips. 

Then laughed, smiling shyly as he faced their joint hands. “You know…I spent a fairly good amount of time…rehearsing this part of the ceremony. Earlier, in the dressing room, I was doing the same.” He sighed, looking up to Gladio. “But how could I not respond to your heart with my own? Youʼve pretty much forced me to throw my entire vow out the window now.” 

Gladio shrugged as the room below them laughed. “You know me,” he said. 

“Indeed,” Ignis exhaled, features relaxing. “I do know you. How you are worth…more than the words youʼve sworn to me. More than you think, much more than you think. And that I love you not because you are worthy of my affections, but because you taught me first. How to love and be loved, how to feel complete despite my weaknesses. When the world failed me, you always gave me faith. And when I failed the world, your faith gave me hope.” 

He shook his head. “How could I not love a man who loved me so simply?” he asked his eyes, a tight smile growing in Gladioʼs face. “I am here because of you. I am here because I had a beacon, someone who always gave me perspective when the world overwhelmed me. What you said I did for you…I had done only because you did them to me first. How could I not follow you to this altar, when you have never led me astray?” 

“Stop it, youʼre makinʼ my vow blush.” 

Ignis laughed with the rest of the room, squeezing his fingers. “I will do…whatever it takes to put that smile on your face. I swear, I wonʼt tire of reviving you, balming your wounds. Just as you trusted in me and stayed with me in those days of darkness, I will never leave your side. This I swear, in the name of my husband.” 

“Oh cʼmon,” Gladio groaned as if in pain, hanging his head back. 

For which Ignis beamed with pride. “Gladiolus Amicitia, the Shield of the King. And my king, Noctis Lucis Caelum, the 114th King of Lucis. Or so the gods help me.” 

“You really gotta serve my ass out here, Ignis?” Gladio snorted, tugging him closer just as the rest of the room applauded and hooted. He brought him into his arms and squeezed him tightly. “I love you so much, Ignis,” he sighed. 

“I love you more than you can know,” Ignis replied quietly. 

“As the gods and the people as your witnesses, may these vows seal your commitment,” Noctis announced to the room just as they parted. “So with the power vested in me by the gods, my forefathers, and the Kingdom of Lucis, I, Noctis Lucis Caelum, King of Lucis, now pronounce you—bound for life.” 

The wild cheering of the crowd may have been a sound that erupted straight from Gladioʼs dancing heart. He grinned at his new husband, their fingers tightening again. Ignis was laughing, his eyes sparkling like fresh emeralds. This was it. Finally, they had come to this point of their lives. 

“Kingdom of Lucis,” Noctis went on as Gladio drowned in the bliss that was Ignis’ joy, “it is with pride and honor that I present to you my friends…my brothers, my Shield and my Hand—Gladiolus and Ignis Amicitia.” In the midst of the applause, Gladio swore he heard Prompto howling. “Gladio and Ignis, you may now kiss your husband.” 

“With pleasure,” Ignis obeyed, drawing close again. Their lips met. 

Whatever was popping confetti, Gladio could only agree to it with his whole heart. He pulled his husband closer by the arm then wrapped both of his around his waist, while Ignis trapped him by the back of his neck. Life stopped and flew in that one moment they were together. 

The day after he was rescued from the Tempering Grounds, time had moved in much the same way. Gladio woke up, sore and dispirited, too weak in so many ways to be curious about how he survived. Then he heard someone calling his name, and turned to him. 

There, looking over him in the midst of darkness, was the most endearing sight heʼd ever witnessed. It was Ignis smiling for him, telling him, “Hi.” 

In that one moment, every shade of emotion known to man surged through Gladioʼs heart—pain, guilt, regret, love, gratitude, joy, hope and hopelessness at once. Whatever it was he felt, it made him cry and then apologize to the man heʼd let down because of his selfishness. 

But the man only shook his head, kissed his tears, and embraced him, soothing him. “You lost your way, Gladio,” he said to him, then. “Now you are back, and we can pick our way onwards again. That is all that matters.” That was when Gladio realized that Ignis was both his present and his future. 

From that day on, he decided to give his new life to the man who saved it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> look it is a truth universally acknowledged that a single author in possession of much love for gladnis must be in want of a wedding fic

**Author's Note:**

> title is taken from one of the classic love songs of my all-time favorite band glay ❤️ hope you enjoyed it! thanks for reading! o///


End file.
